MORE PICS – MICROCHIP ROBBERY; 20 came, 4 as RELA MEMBERS; Drugged 17 in BAX GLOBAL (Penang) - Carted 2 Containers CHIPS & ACC=RM47 M (US12.7 Mil)

UPDATE: 4^th Dec 2006
BETTER Late Than NEVER – 7 STOP-GAP Measures to TIGHTEN Security AT FREE Commercial Zones; SECURITY FIRM with ARMED PERSONNEL Appointed;From 7am to 7pm. EFFECTIVE Measure?? When RM50 Mln Robbery Took place at 2.15am

Believe it or NOT by virtue of the fact that the RM50 million robbery took place in the MASKARGO Complex, that the Transport Minister Datuk Seri Chan Kong Choy had to chair the meeting to bring out these 7 Stop-Gap measures. An the greatest joke is that appointing a security firm that provide armed services from 7am to 7 pm daily when the heist actually took place in the early hours of the morning at 2.15 am precisely. So is this measure effective? Too expensive for a 24-hour guard??

The Datuk is too busy has too many things on his hands. He is involved in the recent Ferry disaster and the 3 LRT accidents and has announced ALL the findings would be made public (as demanded by Tan Sri Lee Lam Thye) but NOT a single one on the LRT has been disclosed even though the first report has been submitted. What is going on at the Transport Ministry? Op Sikap is still on?

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Maskargo security guards to have more powers; News Update by The Star News Desk ; Saturday December 2, 2006

PENANG: Maskargo security personnel will soon be given auxiliary police powers to help beef up security, especially at the second cargo complex in Penang following the recent RM47mil microchip heist there, said Transport Minister Datuk Seri Chan Kong Choy when visiting the complex this morning.

Tightened Airport Security Among Immediate Measures, Says Chan; December 02, 2006 16:14 PM

PENANG, Dec 2 (Bernama) -- Beefing up security at airports, especially at the free commercial zones, is among seven immediate measures announced by the Transport Ministry Saturday to check lax security at the country's gateways. Announcing the measures, which would take effect immediately,

Transport Minister Datuk Seri Chan Kong Choy (above right)said they include instructing MASKargo to appoint a security firm whose personnel would be equipped with firearms to guard the zones for 12 hours from 7am to 7pm daily. "The MASKargo security personnel will also mount stringent checks and scrutiny at all entry and exit points at the zones," he told reporters. Chan said the police would install a hotline linking the MASKargo security base with the Customs office, the state police contingent headquarters and the nearest district police headquarters besides conducting patrols at the cargo complex area. The MASKargo security had been asked to provide police the names of security pass holders for security vetting, he said, adding that the police would also set up a beat base at the free commercial zone. Chan said since the Free Commercial Zone here was under the supervision of Malaysia Airlines (MASKargo), MAS had been asked to install closed-circuit television (CCTV) cameras at all entry-exit points to the zone. Other long-term measures to be taken include appointing MAS security personnel as auxiliary policemen vested with police powers and equipped with firearms. "The long-term measures will be implemented between three and six months and an intercom system will also be installed between the delivery agents' warehouse and at all the checkpoints at the Free Commercial Zone," he said. Stressing that the government regretted the Nov 20 microchip heist worth millions of ringgit from the warehouse in Batu Maung, he was confident a similar incident would not recur with the additional security measures put in place. "With the stringent checks now, there will be no compromise on security," he added. In the robbery, a 20-member gang, including four clad in Rela uniform, carted away two containers laden with computer microchips worth about RM50 million. Police have recovered the empty containers. They believe the microchips are still in the country.

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UPDATE: 1^st Dec 2006
POLICE “on wild goose chase” on the STOLEN Microchips? Clueless and Without Tips Seek Interpol & Aseanpol for HELP & Believe Chips are Within Malaysia IF “Operasi Samudera Gagah” is effective. WHY NOT Offer a RM 1 Million REWARD to get the proper lead?

AFter 10 days, it looks like the police are running around in circles trying to catch the masterminds of this daring robbery. So far they seem to be taking a lot of potshots, arresting the likely “suspects”, remanded them and releasing them. So far 12 arrested and 8 released and more to come.
Without any positive leads and information, they will be arresting “other people” to try their luck. They can only believe (with the help of “Operasi Samudera Gagah”) the chips are still being hidden somewhere within the country and they cannot find them in Imbi plaza or Low Yat Plaza; so where have they gone? Not in China yet and as they have not surfaced there.

Perhaps our police are NOT high tech enough to monitor the cell phone chatter going on immediately after the robbery and employ other multi-media means. What about informers? No contacts with them? An also no offer NO REWARDS for this RM50 miiion heist?

So it looks like the robbery was a futile attempt as the goods are NOT easily disposable as ALL the microchips especially the CPU (Central p\processing units) are properly coded and marked.

Police Believe Stolen Microchips Still In The Country; November 30, 2006 21:41 PM

PENANG, Nov 30 (Bernama) -- Police believe the microchips and central processing units (CPUs) valued at about RM50 million, which were stolen from a cargo complex in Batu Maung on Nov 20, are still in Malaysia.

Bukit Aman CID director Datuk Christopher Wan Soo Kee (ABOVE)said the conclusion was made based on information received from the Interpol and Aseanpol. "The Interpol and Aseanpol have been assisting us to monitor the entry and exit points in the Asian countries. They will inform us if they succeed in tracing the loot," he told reporters here Thursday. Thursday, three more people were remanded for seven days to assist in police investigation. Nine others were remanded but eight have been released. Wan said police will continue to track down the robbers and trace the whereabout of the missing microchips and CPUs. He said the heist was well planned and executed. Twenty robbers, four of them posing as Rela members, stormed the cargo complex at 2.15pm on Nov 20 and drugged the workers before carting away two containers laden with microchips and CPUs. On Nov 25, the two containers were found empty and abandoned on a street behind empty shop blocks at Taman Idaman, Simpang Empat in Nibong Tebal. Wan urged the freight forwarders to participate in safety and security seminars so that they can provide better protection for container goods. "The microchip robbery showed that there are weaknesses in their security system which must be rectified by all concerned," he said.
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Police Seek Interpol Help To Trace Stolen Microchips; November 30, 2006 18:51 PM

KUALA TERENGGANU, Nov 30 (Bernama) -- Malaysia has asked for Interpol's help to trace microchips and computer mother boards worth more than RM40 million that were carted away from an air cargo complex at Batu Maung, Penang on Nov 20. Inspector-General of Police Tan Sri Musa Hassan said that Interpol had been alerted about the heist and police in all the neighbouring countries were assisting Malaysian police to trace the stolen goods. He said this to reporters after making a visit to the Terengganu police contingent headquarters here Thursday. Musa expressed confidence that the stolen items would be recovered and did not discount more arrests would be made in connection with the case.

ABOVE & BELOW: The Three newly arrested suspects

In PENANG, three more men were remanded Thursday in connection with the heist, bringing the total number of suspects arrested so far over the case to 12. State CID Chief SAC II Abdul Samah Mat said that the Balik Pulau Magistrate's Court had ordered the three men, aged between 27 and 46 years who did not have any permanent jobs, to be remanded for one week until Dec 6. The trio were arrested in Bagan Dalam, Butterworth in the early hours of Thursday morning, he said when contacted Thursday.

He also said that a 25-year-old suspect (ABOVE) remanded for one week over the case was released Thursday after police found he was not involved. This brings to eight the number of suspects released so far over the case. Police had earlier arrested nine suspects after the heist but as of Monday seven of them had been released. Twenty robbers, four disguised as People's Volunteer Reserve (Rela) members, gained entry into complex at about 2.15 am and assaulted and drugged the workers there before carting away the items from a bonded warehouse belonging to an air delivery company.

Two More Microchip Robbery Suspects Released; November 29, 2006 21:42 PM

PENANG, Nov 29 (Bernama) -- Police Wednesday released two of four men still on remand to assist investigations into the Nov 20 robbery of microchips worth millions of ringgit at the Air Cargo Complex in Batu Maung here. State CID Chief SAC II Abdul Samah Mat said the duo, both in their 40s, were released unconditionally as they were found not to be involved in the case. He said the remaining two would be remanded until Dec 2. Police detained nine men over the robbery. Five of them were released over Sunday and Monday. Meanwhile, an integrated maritime operation, codenamed " ", involving several agencies in the Straits of Melaka since Nov 24 is also keeping watch for quarters which might attempt to smuggle the stolen microchips out of the country by sea. Maritime Enforcement Coordination Centre Deputy Director ACP Zainudin Mohd Tahir said the agencies involved in the operation included the police, Customs, Royal Malaysian Air Force, Immigration Department and the Fisheries Department.

No Rela Members Involved In Microchip Heist; November 29, 2006 17:25 PM

KUALA LUMPUR, Nov 29 (Bernama) -- The Home Affairs Ministry today said that no People's Volunteer Reserve (Rela) members were involved in the RM50-million microchips heist at the air cargo complex in Batu Maung, Penang on Nov 20. Its Parliamentary Secretary Datuk Paduka Abdul Rahman Ibrahim said investigations had found that some of the men who took part in the robbery had disguised themselves as Rela members by wearing the Rela uniform. "The Rela uniform can can be obtained from almost anywhere. Anyone can make it at home because its colour is very common," he said during the question-and-answer session in the Dewan Rakyat Wednesday. Four of the twenty robbers who gained entry into the complex at 2.15am on Nov 20 had worn Rela uniforms.

Abdul Rahman also said the government would continue to train and guide Rela officers to prevent them from abusing their authority. "Thus far, the level of discipline among Rela members is very high,?????????????" he said. Meanwhile, Abdul Rahman revealed that the country had 463,097 Rela members as of Sept this year. He also said that the government would soon provide a second set of uniform for Rela members who are active. "In terms of allowance, we will only pay them when they attend training," he added.

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MORE Pictures: RM50 Million Microchips ROBBERY: Containers Used In Microchips Robbery Stolen Last September; Container Chassis Altered; ENGINE NO: Remains; Police Baffled: WHERE have ALL the CHIPS GONE?

ABOVE & BELOW: The "Bomb Detector Robot" was used to determine if the containers were "bobby trapped"

UPDATE: Monday, 27^th Nov 2006, More pics loaded, the bomb robot;

One Of Two Containers Used In Microchips Robbery Stolen Last September;

November 26, 2006 23:25 PM NIBONG TEBAL, Nov 26 (Bernama) -- Police confirmed that one of the two container lorries used in the RM50-million microchips robbery at the Batu Maung Air Cargo Complex last Monday was stolen last September.

The container lorry, which had been repainted white with the container chassis number altered, had been reported missing in Dengkil, Selangor, said Penang CID Chief SAC II Abdul Samah Mat.

The lorry, which bore the name of Lee Ting San Lorry Transports Sdn Bhd with the address in Bayan Lepas, was actually registered under the name of a different company in Jalan Simpang, Taiping, Perak, he said. Abdul Samah said police were still checking to determine whether the second container lorry, which had also been repainted white and had the container chassis number altered, was also stolen as there was no missing report. The container lorry also bore the name of Lee Ting San Lorry Transports Sdn Bhd but was actually registered under the name of a different company in Sungai Chua, Selangor. Police yesterday found two container lorries with registration plates PGG 7026 and PGF 5806 abandoned in Taman Idaman, Simpang Ampat, here. They were empty.

ABOVE: Checks on the engine chassis revealed no change; only the body chassis number has been altered; BELOW: A bolt cutter had to be used to cut open the lock

Tests by police revealed that the engine number and chassis number on the front part of the vehicles were intact while the chassis number on the containers had been altered. Police believe the containers were repainted white about a month ago. In the robbery last Monday, 20 men, four disguised in the uniform of the People's Volunteer Corps (Rela), broke through security at the air cargo complex and escaped with two containers of microchips

The MAS Cargo Complex in Batu Maung, Penang

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Stolen trucks may have been used; Monday November 27, 2006, STAR Account

PENANG: One of the two container trucks believed to have been used in the US$12.7mil (RM47mil) microchip heist at the Batu Maung Free Commercial Zone here was reported stolen from Dengkil, Selangor. The owner had lodged a police report on the stolen vehicle on Sept 21. The other truck was also found to have been stolen, but police have yet to get details. The two trucks believed to have been used to transport the stolen microchips from the Second Air Cargo Complex on Nov 20 were found dumped at Lorong Kendi Tujuh, Taman Merak in Simpang Empat, at 11.30am last Saturday. State CID chief Senior Asst Comm (II) Abdul Samah Mat said yesterday that the original colour and name of the container truck from Selangor had been altered. He said a check showed that the stolen truck had a forged registration plate PGG 7026. The trailer belonged to a Perak-based transportation company called Seng Huat and police identified the vehicle after verifying the chassis number, he added. “We are still waiting for a thorough report from our counterparts at the Kajang police headquarters to identify the contents kept in the container before it was stolen,” he said. On Nov 20, more than 20 robbers entered the cargo complex and made off with the microchips and motherboards.

The robbers loaded the microchips into two containers before escaping. SAC Abdul Samah said the police had found that the other truck also had false registration plate PGF 5806, adding that they had yet to verify the address and other details. “The Chemistry Department and a police forensics team have been called in to assist in investigations. The team has to scratch out the container’s paint to identify the actual address of the trailer,” he added. He said that the police had also contacted the Road Transport Department to verify the chassis and engine numbers. So far, nine suspects have been arrested to assist in the investigations. On why the CCTV camera failed to capture the containers’ image on Penang Bridge, SAC Abdul Samah said time factor and the weaknesses of the camera should be taken into account in this incident.

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UPDATE: 25^th Nov 2006

MORE Pictures: RM50 Million ROBBERY- STOLEN CONTAINERS FOUND (But Empty) in Lorong Kendi 7; Taman Idaman, Simpang Empat, Seberang Perai Selatan & As USUAL TRANSPORT MINISTER Starts BARKING AFTER an INCIDENT & it will be in the FERRY Accident

On record, the Transport Minister is clueless and ineffective (maybe good in Chinese Studies, his major) and paled by comparison to health Minister (Datuk Dr Chua So Lek, a qualified Medical Doctor). Datuk Ong Tee Kiat (a Mechanical Engineer would be a better replacement in the Transport Ministry).

A F T E R EVERY Big Accident or Incident, he would start giving Orders & Deadlines demanding REPORTS and Suggestions and forget about them. Can anyone bother to ask him his bold declaration that the LRT incidents would be made public? (see previous post). His announcement that Motor cyclist would be required to purchase additional crash helmets (see previous post) etc etc. His U-turn in the appointment of a foreign consultant for the LRT investigations. His “messed up” MAS rationalization plans for domestic routes and the joke of it all is at the recent Aviation meeting in Singapore, he was handed an award.

Transport Minister Datuk seri Chan Kong Choy: “I have directed the Deputy Sec general of the Transport Ministry to call a meeting involving MAS and freight forwarders, warehouse owners & MAB so as to relook into the whole security system and come back with a totalsecurity enhancement system.”

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Stolen Containers Found, Microchips Still Missing, Says Penang CPO; November 25, 2006 17:14 PM

PENANG, Nov 25 (Bernama) -- Two microchip-laden containers stolen from a warehouse in Batu Maung here on Monday have been found but minus the loot worth millions of ringgit.

ABOVE & BELOW: The lane in which the containers were found; newly constructed shoplots but unoccupied. The Police should have opend UP all these shoplots and determine whether the misising microchips have been hidden inside

The empty containers were found abandoned at Lorong Kendi 7 in Taman Idaman, Simpang Empat, Seberang Perai Selatan.

State Police Chief Datuk Koh Hong Sun said the containers were found at about 3pm Friday following a public tip-off. However, a check on the containers revealed the RM50 million worth of microchips were missing. Forensic officers are tracing for evidence in the containers to assist in investigations, he told a press conference today. He said a bomb disposal unit opened the containers to ensure there were no explosives inside. "Only a two feet-long green parang sheath was found in one of the containers," he said. Meanwhile, a road sweeper, Azhar Najamudin, 36, said the containers were not at Lorong Kendi 7 when he was working in the area from 8am to noon yesterday. However, when he started work at 8am today, he found the containers parked at a lane between a row of newly completed unoccupied shophouses. In the 2.15am heist, 20 robbers, including four clad in Rela uniform, stormed into the Batu Maung Commercial Air Cargo Complex, and assaulted the warehouse workers before carting away the containers. Nine suspects have been remanded in connection with the robbery.
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Police Believe Stolen Microchips Still In The Country; November 25, 2006 21:37 PM

NIBONG TEBAL, Nov 25 (Bernama) -- Police believe the computer microchips and equipment worth RM50 million stolen from the Batu Maung Commercial Air Cargo Complex are still in the country.

CID Director Datuk Christopher Wan Soo Kee said that though the two containers found in Taman Idaman, Simpang Empat, Seberang Perai Selatan here today were empty, police were confident the stolen goods have not been taken out of the country. He told reporters the special team comprising Bukit Aman and Penang police was still trying to locate the goods. "We are stepping up the investigation and will be conducting raids to track down those responsible for the heist," he added.

Wan said the discovery of the two empty containers in Lorong Kendi 7, Taman Idaman posed a bigger challenge to the police force. He said that based on the condition of the containers, they were believed to have been stolen and given new coats of white paint and have the name "Lee Ting San Lorry Transport Sdn Bhd" pasted on using dark blue tape. The company address was listed as 103-E, Lengkok Kampung Jawa 2, 11800 Bayan Lepas, Penang and painted in black on the doors. Wan said that when found, the containers still had the registration plates PGG 7026 and PGF 5806 used during the robbery. The police were tracing the registration plates with the Road Transport Department (JPJ) to identify the owners of the containers and were also checking the chassis numbers on the lorries and containers.

"We believe that the robbers painted the lorries and containers before committing the robbery," he added. Wan said the two container lorries were abandoned in the area as it was quiet as the shops there have yet to open for business. The containers were found at 3 pm after a tip-off from the public. Police monitored the situation for sometime before forcing the containers open. Wan said the first container was opened at 11.30 am and the second at 1.20 pm. Both containers were empty. Also present was Penang Police Chief Datuk Koh Hong Sun. In the robbery at 2.15 am last Monday, 20 robbers including four in Rela uniform broke through security and attacked workers at the cargo complex before escaping with the microchips in two containers.

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UPDATE 24 Nov 06

Microchips Heist: One More Suspect Remanded Friday; November 24, 2006 19:24 PM PENANG, Nov 24 (Bernama) -- One more suspect was remanded Friday to assist the police in their investigation into the RM50-million microchip heist at the Air Cargo Complex in Batu Maung here on Monday, bringing to nine the number detained so far.

ABOVE & BELOW: Another Suspect detained bringing a Total of NINE

The Balik Pulau Magistrate's Court allowed the police to remand the suspect, a 25-year-old worker at the complex, for seven days until Nov 30. According to a police spokesman, the man was detained at his work place at about 6.45pm Thursday. Thursday, two men, aged 33 and 55, were remanded in connection with the case while another six were remanded over Tuesday and Wednesday, including a 48-year-old security guard working at the complex. In the 2.15am heist, about 20 robbers, including four in Rela uniform, made off with microchips and computer parts estimated to be worth about RM50 million from a bonded warehouse at the complex after subduing 17 workers who were there at that time.= = = = = = = = =

UPDATE 23 Nov 06
TWO MORE Suspects detained a Total of EIGHT

Two More Suspects Remanded Over Microchips Heist; November 23, 2006 20:10 PM

PENANG, Nov 23 (Bernama) -- Two more men (see Below) were remanded today in connection with the RM50-million microchips heist at the air cargo complex in Batu Maung here on Monday, bringing to eight the total number of suspects remanded so far over the case.

At the Balik Pulau Magistrate's court, a 53 year-old suspect was ordered to be remanded until Nov 29, while at the Georgetown Magistrate's court, a 33-year-old man was ordered to be remanded until Dec 5. The older suspect was arrested in Balik Pulau at 12.45pm yesterday while the younger one, believed to be also involved in a drug case, was picked up in Jalan Penang at about 10pm last night. Yesterday, two men, aged 26 and 48, were remanded over the case. On Tuesday, four others aged between 25 and 35, were remanded for five days to assist in the police investigation. On Monday, a group of 20 armed robbers, four of them clad in Rela uniform, entered the cargo complex at about 2.15am and assaulted and drugged the 17 people present there before carting away microchips worth about RM50 million from the bonded warehouse of an air delivery compan

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MORE Suspects detained a Total of Six (below another two)




Update 2: Nov 23 06; 7:33 am

And from the Senior Manager, MASKargo

Maskargo Senior Manager Datuk Ong Jyh Jong,: “I cannot comment on it. I can only say this to you. Investigation is not complete and who is responsible for it. Then if we are very sure; then I think we have to own up. whoever is responsible. If we are then we own up.

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Koh Certain Investors' Confidence Will Return; November 23, 2006 00:22 AM

PENANG, Nov 23 (Bernama) -- Chief Minister Tan Sri Dr Koh Tsu Koon said he was certain that investors' confidence in the state would return following the steps taken to beef up security at ports and airports. He said that the quick action on damage control and an explanation on the microchips heist at the Batu Maung air cargo complex on Monday had reassured investors that the security situation in the state was under control. He added that although security was important, the main criteria which drew investors were the state's competitive edge, the capability of the workforce and the market situation in South-East Asia. Speaking to reporters after launching the state-level Integrity Month 2006 here Wednesday, he said that investors and businessmen who used the Penang International Airport to send their goods out had expressed concern about the robbery. Businessmen who were operating at the Penang Free Trade Zone (Frepenca) area had, through the chairman of their association, Mohd Sofi Osman, asked for more security measures, he said. Koh said he was concerned because a major trade delegation from the US arrived in Penang the same day the robbery took place. He said he was thankful because the trade delegation accepted his explanation on the true security situation in the state. "They accepted our explanation and we have done damage control quickly. They also said the important aspects besides security were competitiveness, workforce and the economy," he said. Koh said he had explained the situation to International Trade and Industry Minister (MITI), Datuk Seri Rafidah Aziz.

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Batu Maung Complex Authorities Given One Week To Upgrade Security; November 22, 2006 21:25 PM

PUTRAJAYA, Nov 22 (Bernama) -- Those responsible for security at the Batu Maung Air Cargo Complex in Penang have been given one week to come up with a comprehensive proposal to upgrade the entire security system in the Free Commercial Zone area. Transport Minister Datuk Seri Chan Kong Choy said the parties involved should stop pointing fingers at each other and sit down together to thoroughly review the process there. "The government is disappointed the incident took place... apparently there were shortcomings in terms of security at the zone. Finger pointing must stop and immediate measures taken to enhance security there," told reporters after chairing his ministry's post-cabinet meeting, here. The directive was issued following the RM47-million computer microchips heist at the MASKargo Complex in the zone on Monday.

Chan said the Cabinet was concerned over the issue and had directed that immediate action be taken. He said that a committee led by the ministry's officials and comprising the stake holders, freight forwarders, Malaysia Airlines (MAS), Malaysia Airports Holdings Berhad (MAHB) and Customs had been been set up to look into suggestions to enhance security at the complex made by Penang Police Chief Datuk Koh Hong Sun.

He had suggested that MAS security personnel at the two air cargo complexes near the Penang International Airport in Bayan Lepas be given auxiliary police powers and also be allowed to carry firearms. "In this case, because the authority appointed by the Treasury to look after security in the Free Commercial Zone is MAS, so the security guards were not armed. "I think it is high time that they should look into it (the suggestions) seriously. That would be very helpful to enhance the security system," Chan said. Chan also wanted to see the Electronic Declaration system, which had been introduced by MAS to facilitate freight forwarding, be implemented as soon as possible.

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Update 1: Nov 22 06; 6:20 am

It is just TOO MUCH for the Maskargo Senior Manager Datuk Ong Jyh Jong, in an exclusive interview with TV3 to say that TIPS or the information given Must have specifics. Heads should roll over this lack of ACTION.

“We are only in charge of perimeter fencing & the gate control. What is inside the complex, the properties we don’t own them, the people who works inside there; we don’t employ them. They have control over the gates, doors, the locks and the people they work. In the complex, if the goods are in our own control, we have the responsibility not only over the movement of the goods but the security. But it is not under our custody, obviously there is NOTHING much we can do.

There was in fact a message to say that there might be an event to take place in KLIA or Penang cargo Complex. Obviously, our security chief did receive the message and he informed and briefed his security personnel. I would like to emphasis that a message like this when NOTHING is SPECIFIC, it is really hard to take effective action, because it can happen in KL or Penang cargo Complex. Unless you have dates and times, then perhaps we can take better or more effective action”

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MASKargo, MAB Told To Step Up Security; November 22, 2006 01:39 AM

PENANG, Nov 22 (Bernama) -- MASKargo and Malaysia Airports Berhad (MAB) have been told to step-up security measures at the air cargo complex here to prevent anyone from breaking into the area in future. State Police Chief Datuk Koh Hong Sun said the two companies should take immediate action to rectify weaknesses in security measures at the complex. He said that a special meeting was held with the management of the two companies on Tuesday and they had identified several weaknesses in security in the area. Speaking to reporters here yesterday, he suggested that the security guards at the complex be supplied with firearms.

"Patrols of the area should also be carried more frequently to beef up security there," he said. Koh said CCTVs should also be installed in and outside the guardhouse as well as at the surrounding areas. "The guards should record personal details or identities of those entering and leaving the complex," he added. In Monday's incident, a group of 20 robbers, four of whom were wearing the uniform of the People's Voluntary Corps (RELA), entered the cargo complex at Batu Maung and staged the nation's biggest heist. They broke into a bonded warehouse belonging to an air delivery service company at the complex, located near the Penang International Airport, and drove away with two containers of computer parts and chips estimated to be worth RM50 million.

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Security Guard Among Four Men Held In RM50 Mln Microchip Theft;

November 21, 2006 17:27 PM
PENANG, Nov 21 (Bernama) -- Four suspects, including a man, believe to be a security guard, have been detained in connection with yesterday's theft of two container trailers laden with microchips worth about RM50 million from the second Batu Maung Free Commercial Zone Complex. State police chief Datuk Koh Hong Sun said one of them was arrested at a house in Tanah Merah, Kelantan, at 3am while the other three at their homes here Monday night. The three men detained in Penang had been remanded for five days to facilitate investigations into the robbery said to be the country's biggest ever heist of computer chips, he told a press conference. The suspects were produced in the Balik Pulau magistrate's court to obtain the remand order while the man detained in Kelantan was being brought to Penang for further investigations, he said. Bernama learnt that of one the suspects is a security guard. Koh said police have yet to establish whether the suspects were "insiders".

The suspects detained and remanded

"Nevertheless, we know more or less the people involved and we are working on it," he said. With the cooperation of various parties including the Police Air Wing and Marine Police and by mounting roadblocks, a massive manhunt had been launched to track down the robbers who fled with the containers. All airports and ports in the country have been alerted on the theft and their cooperation sought to trace the containers' movements. "We are seeking the cooperation of those who have information on the theft including the claim by a local newspaper that plans about the robbery was known earlier," he said. He advised the media not to make any assumption on the case including on the actual number of microchips stolen and its worth as the robbery was still under investigations and would be brought to court later. Koh said a comprehensive investigation would be carried out to ascertain whether insiders were involved and the robbery was planned in cohorts with personnel using the Rela uniform.

He said police have also roped in the Interpol to assist in investigations. A Rela spokesman said investigations are underway to determine whether Rela members were involved based on the use of the Rela uniform by the robbers. "So far, we've no information on the involvement of our personnel in the heist," he said. Meanwhile, Northern Region Marine Police commander ACP Zainol Abidin Hassan said all the 16 boats patrolling the waters in the northern region from Langkawi to Port Klang have been alerted about the heist and ordered to check on suspected ships, boats and sampans. He said marine policemen have been ordered to be on the look-out for boats leaving the Penang territorial waters. "So far we've not receive any information on boats or fishermen sampans hired by certain parties which might be involved in the theft," he said.

It would take between five to six hours to reach the country's border by using the sea route as compared to by road, he added. In the 2.15am incident yesterday, two container trailers driven by men in Rela uniform did not raise any suspicion when they arrived at the complex.The "Rela personnel" told the customs officers manning the checkpoint that they were there to flush out illegal workers and instructed them not to alert the people inside the complex. Once they were inside the complex, the four bogus Rela men opened the doors of the containers and out leapt more than 20 robbers armed with parang.

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Warehouse Robbery: Two Containers Of Microchips Stolen; November 20, 2006 21:00 PM

ABOVE & BELOW: The targeted Warehouse BAX Global, an air freight forwarding agency in MASKARGO Complex Penang

PENANG, Nov 20 (Bernama) -- Four robbers entered a warehouse, forced 17 workers there to drink a type of liquid and when they passed out, drove away with two containers of microchips said to be worth millions of ringgit.

ABOVE & BELOW: The workers at BAX Global could only talk about the well executed robbery to the Police after regaining consciousness

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ABOVE: CPO Pulau Pinang was embarassed to relate this robbery: "We don't know the exact cost, maybe several millions Ringgit. They also removed the CCTV cameras"

State police chief Datuk Koh Hung Sun said the incident happened at about 2 am at a bonded warehouse in Batu Maung, which belonged to an air delivery service company. He said the robbers, dressed in the uniform of the People's Volunteer Corps (Rela), were believed to have entered the warehouse unnoticed by hiding in two trailers. "They were armed with parangs and assaulted the workers before forcing them to drink the liquid," he told reporters here Monday. He said the incident happened when the workers, who included two officers from Malaysia Airlines Berhad and two Customs officers, were checking the cargo belonging to Bax Global. Police believe the robbers were locals, aged between 22 and 40 years. Koh said the robbers also took the closed-circuit-television cameras that were installed at the premises. He said all the workers sustained cuts and bruises and were given outpatient treatment at the Penang Hospital. Koh said a special committee had been formed to probe the case.

ABOVE & BELOW: The workers suffered bruises and were given outpatient in the Pulau Pinang Hospital

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PM Wants No Stone Unturned In Probe Into Microchip Robbery In Penang; November 20, 2006 21:15 PM By Muin Abdul Majid

PUTRAJAYA, Nov 20 (Bernama) -- Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi wants police to immediately track down and arrest the robbers involved in the theft of millions of ringgit worth of microchips from an air cargo complex in Penang early Monday. The Prime Minister said that he had conveyed this to Inspector-General of Police Tan Sri Musa Hassan and had urged the police to leave no stone unturned in their investigations. "The police must investigate if insiders had been involved. All angles must be examined as to how this could have happened," Abdullah, who is also Internal Security Minister, told Bernama here Monday. He expressed disappointment over the apparent lax security and the fact that police were not immediately informed about the theft. Penang police said the robbers dressed in People Volunteer Corps (Rela) uniforms assaulted 17 people, including Customs officers at the bonded warehouse, before carting away the microchips from the facility in Batu Maung not far from the Bayan Lepas International Airport.

The prime minister stressed that those in charge of the facility must enhance security controls in the area to prevent similar incidents from happening. Abdullah described the tardiness in alerting the police about the microchip robbery as tantamount to a dereliction of duty on the part of those in charge of security at the cargo complex. The robbers, believed to number four and armed with parangs, struck at 2am when Customs, Malaysians Airlines Berhad personnel and workers at the warehouse totalling 17 people, were checking the microchips that were kept in two containers.

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and the STAR Report
A very well-planned job; Tuesday November 21, 2006

PENANG: Two container trailers driven by men in Rela uniform did not raise any suspicion when they arrived at the MASKargo Complex in Batu Maung here at 2.15am yesterday. The “Rela personnel” told the two Customs officers manning the checkpoint that they were there to flush out illegal workers and instructed them not to alert the people inside the complex. Once the “Trojan horses” were in the complex, the four bogus Rela men opened the doors of the containers and out leapt more than 20 robbers armed with parang.

The first thing they did was to round up the 17 people in the area, including the two Customs officers and two Malaysia Airport Bhd personnel. To neutralise the threat of a fight-back, the robbers plied their captives with chloroform. Some were forced to drink a white solution which caused them to vomit. Anyone still standing was beaten with sticks. With the workers under guard, the rest of the robbers set to work on the microchips. In just an hour, they piled 585 cartons and 18 pallets of microchips and motherboards manufactured by a multi-national company in Bayan Lepas into the containers. The loot estimated to be worth US$12.7mil (RM46.99mil) was said to be the country’s biggest ever heist. And arguably the most audacious, too.

Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi, who was in Putrajaya, was livid when informed of the robbery. The Prime Minister was very angry over the lack of security. Chief Minister Tan Sri Dr Koh Tsu Koon who inspected the complex later in the evening said two suspects had been arrested but declined to give details. It is learnt that the suspects were workers at the complex. State police chief Deputy Comm Datuk Koh Hong Sun told a press conference that police got a call at 3.40am. “The robbers also took with them footage of the robbery from the closed-circuit TV cameras,” he said. DCP Koh said the victims were not seriously injured and all have been discharged after treatment at the Penang Hospital. One of the victims was the driver of a courier company van, who showed up at the complex while the robbery was in progress.

The 25-year-old driver, who wanted to be known only as Kumar, said two men in green uniforms complete with berets at the checkpoint ordered him to get out of his van. “I was a bit slow in getting down and one of them suddenly smashed my windscreen with his baton. They then dragged me out and beat me up. “They did not sound local ... most probably from out of state,” he said at the hospital. A source said the first of several batches of the computer chips was delivered to the warehouse on Saturday. The last shipment was at 12.30am yesterday. The consignment was to be sent to the multi-national company’s operations in the Asia-Pacific region, including Taiwan, Hong Kong and China. The source said all indications pointed to an inside job. “The timing was too good. Such information could only be obtained if someone on the inside was working with them,” said the source.

Dr Mohamed Azam: NUMBER Apostates Among Muslims < 300; MAJORITY are Muslim CONVERTS; And “RAJA SHERINA” Where are U HIDING? See YOUR Photo!

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UPDATE: Dec 09 06

After 10 days of Police bail, the DPP in KL is not giving this case much urgency. can guess why??

Raja Sherina's SMS case: Police waiting for directive to charge couple

09 Dec 2006 ; P. Chandra Sagaran IPOH: Police are waiting for a directive from the Deputy Public Prosecutor on whether to charge a couple implicated in the Datuk Azhar Mansor’s alleged apostasy SMS controversy. Perak Deputy Police Chief SAC 1 Datuk Tan Seng Eng said the police had yet to receive any directive.

"As it is now, we are not making any more arrests," he told reporters after launching an anti-crime campaign organised by Ipoh City Police at a shopping complex here today. A woman in the centre of the controversy, known as Raja Sherina, and her husband were released on a one-month police bail upon the expiry of their eight-day remand on Nov 27. They had been temporarily released pending the Deputy Public Prosecutor's decision on whether to charge the couple under the Sedition Act 1948.

The couple was sent back to their hometown in Sungai Petani, Kedah after their release. Raja Sherina was detained with her husband in Alor Star on Nov 20, hours after police released her photograph to the media.

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ABOVE: The "Raja" Arrivving in court and released on 1-month Police Bail & Escorted back to hometown

UPDATE: Nov 27 2006, Monday

“Raja Sherina” & Husband OUT on 1-MONTH POLCE Bail. Given “Royal” Treatment - Sent Home to Kedah by Police; DPP OPTION: Unconditional Release or Charged under 1948 SEDITION Act

This is velvet glove treatment for a “Raja”. If it is an opposition member, it would be a different story. Perhaps she is “innocent” and was a “substitute” for some other VIP.

"Raja Sherina" And Husband Released On Police Bail

IPOH, Nov 27 (Bernama) -- A woman identified only as "Raja Sherina" and her husband were released on one-month police bail Monday after they had been remanded in connection with a short messaging service (SMS) related to alleged baptism of Muslims at a church here. Court Registrar Azuratul Akmar Abdul Ghaffar read out the order releasing the couple, who are in their 40s, at a waiting room of the court here. The couple, whose remand expired Monday, were brought to the Magistrate's Court at 11.35 am in a police car. Raja Sherina's husband was in handcuffs. They refused to speak to reporters as they left the court but smiled and waved to them from a police car. It is learned that the police sent them to their home in Sungai Petani, Kedah. "Raja Sherina" and her husband were arrested at the compound of the Alor Star Hospital at 9.30 pm last Monday, one week after police looked for them. Their three-year-old son was with them at the time of the arrest.

Perak Police Chief Datuk Abdul Aziz Bulat said the couple were released pending a decision by the public prosecutor whether to charge them under the Sedition Act 1948 or grant them an unconditional release. He said he hoped that the public would learn from the incident not to spread sensitive matters via SMS, which could cause undue tension in the society. "Let us be more rational when sending any SMS," he said. A group of people gathered at the Church of Our Lady of Lourdes in Silibin here on Nov 5 following the circulation of an SMS about a purported baptism of Muslims there by national mariner Datuk Azhar Mansor.

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UPDATE: Nov 26 2006

MORE PICTURES - UNCovered and EXposed The True face of Raja Sherina at the REMAND Extension; Police Investigations Completed; To be Released - Mon 27^th Nov 06 with Husband; Up to DPP for Next Action

Also loaded New & More pictures of the 500 strong Muslims & NGO who gathered in front of the Church of our Lady, Jln Silibin Ipoh, on Nov 05 06 with the FRU keeping the order

ABOVE & BELOW; Exposed and uncovered, the true face of Raja Sherina emerging from and in the courtroom

Raja Sherina, Husband To Be Released Tomorrow; November 26, 2006 18:33 PM

IPOH, Nov 26 (Bernama) -- A woman identified only as "Raja Sherina" and her husband, held under remand by police since Monday to help with the probe into a short messaging service (SMS) on the baptism of Malays, are to be released Monday. Perak CID Chief SAC II Patrick Jiges Sijore said police have completed their investigation and sent a report yesterday to the office of the deputy public prosecutor (DPP). The couple, who are in their 40s, will be released on police bail after their remand period expires tomorrow. SAC Sijore told Bernama it was now up to the DPP to determine the next course of action. Police detained the couple in Alor Star on Nov 20 after "Raja Sherina" did not come forward to assist them in the investigation. The case was investigated under the Sedition Act 1948. "Raja Sherina" is believed to be the first person to have sent out an SMS message claiming that a group of Malays were to be baptised by national mariner Datuk Azahar Mansor at a church in Silibin here last Nov 5.

ABOVE: One of the NGO briefing the gathering; BELOW: The FRU (Federal Reserve Unit) was at hand to control the 500 crowd

As a result, about 500 Muslims including those from several non-governmental organisations (NGOs) gathered outside the church to verify the SMS claim, only to be told that the baptism was of 110 non-Muslim children.

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Raja Sherina's Remand Extended Until Monday; November 23, 2006 18:06 PM IPOH, Nov 23 (Bernama) -- Police Thursday managed to get the remand order on Raja Sherina, the woman implicated in the SMS rumour that some Muslims were to be baptised at a church here on Nov 5, and her husband extended until Monday.

ABOVE & BELOW: Raja Sherina closely covered up and shielded by her Black dress and escorted by two pretty officers into the courtroom

The extension was sought to enable them to wrap up investigations into the case. The earlier three-day remand order issued by the magistrate's court here on the couple was to expire Thursday.

ABOVE & BELOW: Raja Sherina's husband at the remand extension hearing on thursday 23 Nov 2006

They were brought to the court at 2.20pm and appeared calm when the application for the remand extension was brought before magistrate Syamsul Rezal Md Ariff. They were arrested in Alor Star on Monday in connection with the case. The rumour had alleged that national mariner Datuk Azhar Mansor was to participate in the baptism of the Muslims. Wednesday, State CID chief SAC II Patrick Sijore said the woman, who is in her 40's, was believed to be the source of the SMS rumour. When the arrest was made at the Alor Star Hospital grounds at 9.30pm on Monday, she was said to have become hysterical and had to be treated at the HAS before being brought here together with her 38-year-old husband the same night. And before being brought to the Ipoh magistrate's court for the initial remand order on the couple, police said she again became hysterical and had to be given treatment at the Ipoh Hospital. (see BELOW)

On Nov 5, over 500 Muslims gathered in front of a Catholic church in Silibin here to protest the purported baptism. Police had to be called in to calm things down and it turned out that the event at the church was to be the first holy communion for 195 Indian children. The SMS message had also alleged that Perak Mufti Datuk Seri Harussani Zakaria was aware that the baptism would take place. Police launched a manhunt for Raja Sherina when the Mufti alleged that she had been the source of the rumour. The case is being investigated under the Sedition Act 1948 and the Multimedia and Communications Act 1998.

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Update Nov 22 06;

November 21, 2006 17:27 PM Raja Sherina Apprehended; IPOH, Nov 21 (Bernama) -- Raja Sherina, the woman the police have been looking for to assist them in the case involving an SMS rumour about Muslims being baptised, has been apprehended. Perak police chief Datuk Abdul Aziz Bulat said that she was arrested in front of the Alor Star Hospital (HAS) at about 9.30pm Monday night. She was with her 38-year-old husband and a son, three, when the arrest was made. "When the arrest was made, she became hysterical but her husband remained calm. She was then brought to the HAS for treatment while the boy was surrendered to her Husband," Abdul Aziz told reporters when met at the Ipoh police headquarters here Tuesday. He said police had tracked her down to Alor Star after two other locations -- Sitiawan and Sungai Petani -- in their hunt for her did not bear fruit. Yesterday, police issued to the media a picture of the woman after attempts to get her to surrender herself to the police proved unsuccessful. Prior to the release of her picture, police had given Raja Sherina, believed to be in her 40s from Sungei Petani, Kedah, two 48-hour periods from last Wednesday to turn herself in. Abdul Aziz said that after Raja Sherina was attended to for her hysteria, she and her husband were brought to the Ipoh police headquarters from Alor Star. Her son was sent to a relative of hers in Alor Star to be cared for, he said. He said that this (Tuesday) morning she again went into a hysterical state and was brought to the Ipoh hospital for treatment before being brought to the Magistrate's court here to obtain a remand order against them. Abdul Aziz, however, declined to take reporters' questions as he was heading to an undisclosed destination.

ABOVE: At the magistrate court in Ipoh, Raja Sherina was remanded; BELOW: The van carrying her to Ipoh Hospital for treament
At about 3 pm, the woman and her husband were ordered to be remanded for three days from today by Majistrate Syamsul Rezal Md Ariff. On Nov 5, more than 500 Muslims gathered to protest in front of a Catholic church in Silibin here following the spread of an SMS rumour that national mariner Datuk Azhar Mansor would be participating in the baptism of a group of Muslims there. The SMS had alleged that the Perak Mufti had confirmed that the baptism would take place. However, on Nov 12, the mufti, Datuk Seri Harussani Zakaria, on his return from a trip to Syria, revealed that Raja Sherina was the source of the SMS message. He said that the woman had sent him the SMS and had also come to see him about it. Azhar has since clarified that he has never renounced Islam and had nothing to do with the incident. It turned out that the event at the church was for the first Holy Communion of 98 Indian children. = = = = = =

Which sms? ABOVE: The offending one (WHO IS THE SENDER OF THIS ONE???) with Mufti's name and BELOW: The Perak Mufti showing "original" - send by "Raja Sherina"?
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DOES SHE EXIST? Another Red Herring! Her name is in inverted Commas "Raja Sherina"


Sunday Interview: Very few have abandoned the faith;Sunday Times;19 Nov 2006;P. Selvarani; Recent claims that Muslims are converting to Christianity by the hundreds of thousands have caused much unrest among some Muslim groups.

Dr Mohamed Azam Mohamed Adil, lecturer at UiTM’s Centre for Islamic Thought and Understanding, has spent nine years studying the problem of apostasy among Malaysian Muslims. He tells P. SELVARANI that the claims are false.

Q: Is it true that Muslims in the country are renouncing the religion by the hundreds of thousands, even as much as 250,000, as recently claimed by some quarters, including the Mufti of Perak? A: I disagree with these figures given because there is no concrete data to support these claims. Official data that I have obtained from the Syariah courts, State Religious Departments and the National Registration Department (NRD) show that the number of apostates among the Muslims is less than 300. My research shows that 750 Muslims applied to the NRD to change their names to non-Muslim names between 1999 and July 2003, and of the number only 220 were successful. Most of them were converts to Islam. But the number of Muslims who actually applied to the Syariah courts to renounce Islam is much lower — there were only 100 between 1994 and 2003.

Q: How did the talk about conversions of some 100,000 Muslims gain currency? A: I really don’t know. It could have been based on rumours circulating on the Net or in other forms such as the SMS. Apostasy is a serious matter in Malaysia. If there are those who claim that the figure runs into the hundreds of thousands, then they must show some concrete data to support their statements. You cannot rely on hearsay. Such sensitive statements, which are unsubstantiated by facts, are dangerous as they can lead to chaos, more so when they come from community or religious leaders. You must have concrete data otherwise how do you justify your statement? You can say so and so has changed his religion. How do you know? In a court of law, you have to prove it. Legally, there must be a declaration from the Syariah court before a person can be deemed an apostate.

Q: What percentage of those who applied to renounce Islam are born Muslims? A: The number of born Muslims who renounce Islam is very small. Most of the applicants are Muslim converts who decide to leave Islam upon dissolution of the marriage, or the death of their spouse. The born Muslims who apply to renounce Islam are usually women who do it because of love — when they decide to marry someone of another faith. In some isolated cases, children from mixed marriages (where one parent is a Muslim), or those who were born illegitimate, applied to renounce the religion.

Q: Your research shows that Negri Sembilan has the highest record of applications to renounce Islam (84 applications between 1994 and 2003) as well as the highest number of recorded renunciations (16 approvals). Why is this so? A: Negri Sembilan is the only state which "allows" a Muslim to leave Islam subject to certain procedural conditions. Under its Administration of Islamic Law Enactment 2003 (the new law), a Muslim cannot renounce or be deemed to have renounced Islam unless he has a declaration to the effect from the Syariah High Court of the state. Other states do not have such a provision in their Syariah laws and that is why they do not receive any applications to renounce and even if they do, the number is very small because of their punitive laws.

Q: On what grounds are these applications in Negri Sembilan approved? A: The applicant must specify the grounds for his application with a supporting affidavit. The Syariah court judge then adjourns the application for 90 days and refers the person to the Mufti for counselling. If after 90 days the judge feels that such a person will not repent, he will then adjourn the hearing of the application for a period of up to a year, during which time the applicant is required to undergo a counselling session to reconsider his decision. After this period, the judge can make a conclusion whether to declare the applicant an apostate or otherwise. What I learnt from my research when I interviewed the NGOs was that they did not object to this counselling.

Q: How do the other states deal with this problem of apostasy among Muslims? A: Perak, Malacca, Sabah and Terengganu have criminalised apostasy with fines not exceeding RM3,000 and/or imprisonment of not more than two years. Pahang has the most deterrent law, where upon conviction, an apostate can be fined up to RM5,000 and/or imprisoned up to three years and could even get six strokes of the rotan. In Sarawak, for example, applicants can go directly to the state’s Islamic Affairs Department, which will then certify their conversions from Islam upon determining that the person "irreconcilably seeks to renounce the religion". These documents certifying that such a person is no longer a Muslim are considered valid by the NRD, which under the National Registration Regulations 1990 (amended 2001) could accept such declarations only from either the state Syariah courts or the Islamic Affairs Departments. In some states, such as Kedah, applications to renounce Islam are rejected on the grounds that there is no provision under their Syariah laws for such applications to be heard. The 12 applications received by the Federal Territories between 2001 and August 2003 were dismissed by the Syariah courts on the grounds that there were no provisions for its judges to decide for or against such cases.

Q: How should states handle these cases?
A: We should have a standard law on apostasy. Other states should follow Negri Sembilan because it has the counselling process to persuade those who have renounced to go back to Islam. I give this recommendation based on what happens in Singapore. In Singapore, Muslims who want to renounce Islam must go to the Mufti’s office for counselling. Ninety per cent of the people referred to the Mufti repented and went back to Islam. Why not we follow this method of counselling through persuasion instead of making it punitive to the point of creating resentment?

Q: What prompted you to undertake this research on the problem of apostasy in Malaysia? A: I found that under the classical Islamic law, apostasy is a serious punishable offence but it contradicted the notion of freedom of religion as enshrined in the Federal Constitution. And the court cases filed by Muslims seeking to renounce Islam also sparked my interest. I then decided to do a comparative analysis of Malaysia’s civil and Syariah laws on apostasy for my PhD thesis with the University of London’s School of Oriental and African Studies. I submitted my thesis to the university last year.

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Police Release Raja Sherina's Photo; November 20, 2006 18:41 PM

IPOH, Nov 20 (Bernama) -- Police today released a photograph of "Raja Sherina" for publication by the press in efforts to trace the woman to assist their investigations into the dissemination of a short-messaging service (SMS) on the alleged mass baptism of Malays at a church here last Nov 5.

Perak Police Chief Datuk Abdul Aziz Bulat said police had to release the photograph of the woman, in her 40s believed to be from Sungai Petani, Kedah as she had failed to contact them despite being given ample time, since last Wednesday, to do so. "We believe the woman is in hiding and still in the country," he told reporters here Monday. He said police went to check on two locations at Sitiawan and Sungai Petani, where the woman was believed to be residing, but could not find her. Police had obtained the photograph of the woman, who is dark-skinned and wearing a black scarf in the picture, from a copy of a VCD handed over to them by the Perak Mufti Datuk Seri Harussani Zakaria, (BELOW) who had met her recently.

Harussani also handed over copies of the VCD to Perak Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Tajol Rosli Ghazali and the Islamic Development Department. Abdul Aziz urged members of the public who knew the woman or with information on her and her wherabouts to contact DSP Shahdan Ibrahim at telephone number 05-520 3966 or 05-245 1222 or the Perak Rakan Cop at 05-240 1999.
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See Previous posting and updates on:

MORE PICS- SMS About BAPTISM CEREMONY of “Muslims” at CHURCH Of Our Lady of LOURDES, IPOH; Several NGOs Found out “MUSLIMS” Were ACTUALLY Indians.

MORE PICS - 3 Died, 15 Injured SERIOUSLY-Thai D_Decker Bus (Workers from Electricity Authority) Overturns Coming DOWN Genting Highlands-BRAKES Failed

Latest UPDATE: Mon, 20th Nov 06; 16:31pm

4 Malaysians DIED (all from MUAR, While Waiting Outside) Stalled Bus Rammed by Fast Trailer on CHON BURI-PATATAYA Highway in THAILAND; Father & Son & 2 Women.

Our national Puspakom should check buses and certified them fit for traveling outside Malaysia as tour buses. Most probably this is one of those BAS Sekolah (suitable for doing short errands during School terms) BUT totally unsuitable and UNfit for prolong journeys and used as “low budget tour carrier.

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Four Malaysians Die In Accident In Thailand; November 20, 2006 16:06 PM

By D. Arul Rajoo
CHON BURI, Nov 20 (Bernama) -- A year-end family tour turned into tragedy when four Malaysians were killed while another 16 were injured after their tour bus was rammed by a trailer here yesterday. The dead are Tan Lee Cheng, 42, her 14-year-old son, Goh Sze Chuan, and two more women passengers, Goh Gek Lang,56 and Yee Chai Chow, 61. All are from Muar, Johor.

Fifteen of the injured are Michell Phua, Lim Pan, 56, Phua Kam Lian, 63, Cynthla Phua, 12, Phua Kam Lai, 47, Ng Hiok Ann, 41, Heng Heong Cher, 50, Phua Bee Kian, 48, Heng Wee Harn, 19, Heng Wee Harn, 19, Phua Kam Huat, 54, Chua Kuang Hua, 60, Lee Voo Kee, 70, Soh Kang Chuang, 60, and Tan Ah Cheok, 59. The last victim's name has yet to be disclosed. Three of the passengers have been warded in a private hospital here while the rest were given outpatient treatment.

The bus was carrying 20 Malaysians and a local tour guide when it broke down on the Chon Buri-Pattaya highway around 5pm. Insurance agent Ng Hiok Ann, 41, said they arrived in Bangkok three days ago for a week-long holiday and were travelling to Pattaya when the incident happened. "After an overnight stay in Kanchanaburi, we had lunch in Bangkok before heading to Pattaya.

The bus broke down twice on the way but the driver managed to repair it but could not do anything when it stalled again near Chon Buri," she said. As it was very hot, some of the passengers decided to wait outside as the bus was parked by the roadside. "But suddenly someone shouted that a trailer was coming very fast. It happened so fast that we did not realise that the trailer had rammed the bus and those waiting outside," she said. Ng said all the dead was those waiting outside, including Tan, who was standing besides her. "They all had head injuries. The rest of us were lucky to be alive, those in the bus had slight injuries," said Ng whose husband, Phua Kam Lai, a brother in-law and sister-in-law were warded for serious injuries. Ng, whose three children were inside the bus, said this was the first time that all the family members decided to go on a group tour together. Lee said his wife, Yee, was conscious after the accident but he could not pull her out from the trailer. "I tried to pull her out but couldn't. The tow truck came very late to pull her out," he said.A Malaysian embassy official said they were making arrangements with the Thai tour company hired by the family to bring back the bodies.
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Another coming down Genting Highlands crash for a bus. A 2km jam ensured after the 10.00 am mishap.

But do not be afraid to take holidays or a break up highland resorts. If you become so frightened of realities that are not your own; if you take upon yourselves tragedies that do not exist in YOUR reality, in your moment, you weaken your position in life. You must operate from strength, not from weakness.

When you stand on a firm shore, you can extend your arm to the man that is in quicksand. You cannot help him by leaping into the quicksand with him, for surely both of you will go down, and he will not thank you. Organize your reality according to your strength. Organize your reality according to your playfulness, according to your dreams, according to your hopes, and then you can help those who organize their reality according to their fearsABOVE: The Double-Decker Bus crash landed to the hill slopes on its right side due to brakes failure; BELOW - Rescue workers figuring out the best positions for the crane cable to right back the bus

BATANG KALI, Nov 19 (Bernama) -- Three people were killed and 44 others injured, 15 of them seriously, when a double-decker tour bus with employees of the Provincial Electricity Authority (PEA) of Thailand crashed into a hillslope and overturned at Km 13 of Jalan Genting-Batang Kali.

ABOVE: A front view of the bus in distress; BELOW - the slightly injured sitting by the roadside

One of the dead was PEA managing director Decha Nilmanee, 59, who died as he was being rushed to the Kuala Lumpur Hospital (HKL). The other two were Nong Nuch Pochana, 45, a woman who died on the spot, and Chanadech Kaukew, 27, who succumbed to his injuries while on the way to the Kuala Kubu Baru Hospital (KKKB).

ABOVE & BELOW: The seriously injured being taken away on stretchers

Fifteen other passengers, who suffered serious injuries, were rushed to the Pantai Hospital in Kuala Lumpur. The others, who sustained slight injuries, were given out-patient treatment and accommodated at the Seri Pacific Hotel in Kuala Lumpur. Two Malaysians, who are employees of Tenaga Nasional Berhad (TNB) in Ipoh and were travelling in the bus, were also slightly injured in the 10 am accident.

ABOVE & BELOW: Another two of the seriously injured being given immediate assistance before being ferried away

The accident occurred as it was returning to southern Thailand with 45 PEA employees and two drivers who had spent the weekend at Genting Highlands. One of the passengers, Zubaidas Siri Wanno, 28, said at the HKKB that she believed the brakes failed and the bus hit the hillslope, skidded and overturned.

"I was seated in the middle of the bus. Those who suffered serious injuries were among the ones seated near the door," she said. Zubaidas, who was slightly injured, said the group had arrived in Kuala Lumpur yesterday morning and had spent the night at Genting Highlands. Another passenger, Hamdee Hayee Saesalae, 32, said he was seated on the upper deck and he felt the bus descending the hill too fast. "The driver did apply the brakes but failed to slow down the bus, causing him to lose control of the vehicle.

ABOVE: The bus in the process of being tilted back upright and BELOW- Finally uprighted; bringing down the tree branches from its roof top

It crashed into the hillslope and overturned," he said. Hamdee, who injured his nose, said he was shocked by the experience as it was his first despite having come to Malaysia several times.

ABOVE: The ambulances from Kuala Kubu Baru Hospital (KKBH) & Genting Highlands were "all hands on deck" taking the injured to KKBH and the serious ones to Pantai Hospital in KL; BELOW: One of the Thai victim undergone transformation

Meanwhile, Tenaga Nasional Berhad (TNB) Ipoh Regional Manager Aminnuddin Ab Wahab, who visited the passengers warded at HKKB, said the accident came as a shock to him because it was only last Friday that he had met the group when they visited the Ipoh TNB. "They had arrived in Malaysia last Friday and paid a courtesy call at the Ipoh TNB before going to Kuala Lumpur," he added.

ABOVE & BELOW: The sleepy hollow in KKBH was alive when the injured arrived

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… and here is the STAR’s account with other details and ONLY 13 seriously injured

Three killed in bus crash 13 into hillslope; Monday November 20, 2006

KUALA KUBU BARU: Three Thailand Provincial Electricity Authority (TPEA) employees were killed and 13 seriously injured, when their double-decker luxury bus skidded and crashed into a hillslope before landing on its side at the 12th kilometre of the Gohtong Jaya-Batang Kali road here. They were among the 45 TPEA personnel members who were in Malaysia for training at the Tenaga Nasional (TNB) offices in Ipoh and Putrajaya. Eighteen other TPEA staff members suffered various injuries while 11 escaped unhurt. The Thai bus driver and co-driver were also unhurt in the 10.20am incident yesterday. The Thais had arrived in Genting Highlands on Saturday night after meeting TNB officials in Ipoh and Putrajaya.

CRASH SCENE: Some of the crash victims lying by the side of the Gohtong Jaya-Batang Kali road in Kuala Kubu Baru yesterday while rescuers work at the accident site. Among the dead were TPEA managing director Decha Nilmanee, 59, who died on the way to the Kuala Lumpur Hospital from the Kuala Kubu Baru Hospital. The other two dead were identified as accountant Nongnuch Pochana, 45, and engineer Chanadat Karkaew, 27. Nongnuch, a mother of two children, was killed on the spot while Chanadat died on the way to the Kuala Kubu Baru Hospital. The bus had left Genting Highlands at about 10am on its way back to Haadyai. Barely 20 minutes later, the driver lost control of the vehicle while negotiating a sharp corner. The driver, who did not want to reveal his name, said he stepped hard on the brakes but the bus did not slow down. “I tried to control the bus. But everything happened so fast – the bus hit the side of the hill before landing on its side,” he said in a choking voice when met at the scene of the accident. Three fire engines with 18 men from the Genting Highlands, Bentong and Kuala Kubu Baru fire stations arrived at the scene within minutes after receiving a distress call at 10.25am. The firemen, with the help of several TNB personnel members, managed to pull out the passengers after breaking the windscreen of the bus. They injured were rushed to hospitals in Kuala Kubu Baru and Selayang in several ambulances. The accident caused a 2km traffic jam on both sides of the road. A crane was used to put the bus back on its wheels at 2pm. According to police, the bus driver and his co-driver have yet to lodge a police report on the accident.

MORE PICS - Mohamed Khir Johari, 83–Malaysia FOUNDING FATHER; UMNO Veteran; ACCORDED State FUNERAL; A Great MAN Who Refused Titles in Politics

Tan Sri Mohamed Khir Johari (1923 -2006)
Our deepest condolences must be to the family and the grief for someone who has reached the eighties is not as great as in a tragic death of a younger one.
More than 500 people attended his funeral at the National mosque. His breed of UMNOputras are getting extinct very soon.

ABOVE: Tan Sri Ghazali Ismail and BELOW: Datuk Azmi Khalid were there to bid him a fond farwell.
Death is greatly misunderstood as being the end of it all, of coming too soon. Death always seems to be something just out of your understanding, responsibility, control and power. This is completely inaccurate. Death is a transformation. Transformation from one way of being into another. A death is just a night to your soul.

ABOVE and BELOW: The griefing wife Puan Sri Christine Lim felt the sudden loss of someone close.

No man or woman consciously knows for sure which day will be the last for him or her in this particular life, that each calls the present one. Mortality with its birth and death is the framework in which the soul, for now, is expressed in flesh. It seems, perhaps, easier to have no conscious idea of the year or time that death might occur. Unconsciously of course each man and woman knows, and yet hides the knowledge.

The knowledge is usually hidden for many reasons, but the fact of death, personal death, is never forgotten. It seems obvious, but the full enjoyment of life would be impossible in the framework, now, of earthly reality without the knowledge of death.
Life and death are but two faces of your eternal, ever changing existence, however feel and appreciate the joy of your own being. But many who lived into the ripe old age of eighties or their nineties appreciated the extent of the beauty of their being and are seemed to be aware of the withdrawing of life force (energy) and their impending death.
It is rare for a couple to die “together” but it can happened within hours or days and is termed as a “butterfly death" - flying off together in pairs.

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Khiri Seemed To Know Of Impending Death, Wife Says; November 19, 2006 22:40 PM

KUALA LUMPUR, Nov 19 (Bernama) -- Tan Sri Mohamed Khir Johari, who died Sunday morning, seemed to know that death was near, said his wife Puan Sri Christine Lim. "Recently, the Tan Sri had repeatedly said 'God is calling me, God is calling me'... "I responded by saying 'Don't talk like that; if you're going, let's go together," she told Bernama when met at the National Mosque compound where funeral rites were rformed. Lim said that she had also asked her husband to wait until their son, Zairil, 23, who is studying overseas, returned. Zairil was at Khir Johari's side when he passed away at his condominium unit in Jalan Tun Sambanthan, Brickfields here. The Umno veteran collapsed while watching television at about 10.30am and was confirmed dead by medical personnel who rushed to his aid in an ambulance. He was given a state funeral at the Heroes' Mausoleum later in the evening. Lim described her husband's death as a great loss and said that of late, he often uttered "I love you".
Information Minister Datuk Seri Zainuddin Maidin, when met by Bernama at the mausoleum, said: "I've known him since long ago, he was among the country's founding fathers who had fought to develop the country." In his long years of service for the country, Khir Johari had even been willing to be unpopular to his own race, he said. "In fact in several aspects, he had been ahead of his time," he said and described Khir Johari as a person who was always cheerful and optimistic. "Most importantly, he never kept a grudge or anger against others, not even his political enemies," Zainuddin said.

Former finance minister Tengku Razaleigh Hamzah said that Khir Johari had played an instrumental role in the country's struggle for independence and the setting up of Umno. "He also had helped woo a lot of foreign investments to our country," he said. Natural Resources and Environment Minister Datuk Seri Azmi Khalid said that he hoped Khir Johari's articles in the media and personal notes would be compiled. "He was a prominent fighter for his race in his era and it is fitting for his writings be made a reference by the younger generation," he said.

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Khir's Demise A Loss To The Nation; November 19, 2006 22:16 PM

HANOI, Nov 19 (Bernama) -- Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi said that Malaysia lost one of its founding fathers of independence with the death of Tan Sri Mohamed Khir Johari. The 83-year-old Khir Johari, died Sunday, believed to be of a heart attack.

Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah:(from Hanoi): "Tan Sri Khir was active all his life; he succeeded becoming a leader in government and in several organisations. We appreciate his contributions"

"I am saddened because someone I knew very well has died," he told a press conference held at the Hanoi Horison Hotel here, before leaving for Kuala Lumpur. Abdullah, who participated in the two-day 18th APEC leaders summit here which ended Sunday, said Khir would be greatly missed as he had served his nation and the Malays with dedication. "All of us deeply appreciate his contributions as all that he had done was for Malaysia and the progress of its people. "He was truly a son of Malaysia who succeeded as a leader in the government and community because he had been active in many organisations," he said. Among others, the former cabinet minister had served as the Badminton Association of Malaysia (BAM) president for 25 years from 1960-1985, was the Malaysian World Wide Fund (WWF) for Nature president from 1979 to 2003 and was also President of the Malaysian Zoological Society, also known as Malaysian Wildlife Society, from 1979 to 2004. Abdullah also extended his condolences to Khir's family members.

Deputy Primer Datuk Seri Najib: "He was a member of the first cabinet and figures in our country's history. We will always remember him and on behlaf of the cabinent, I wish to express our sincere condolences to hir family"

Meanwhile in KUALA LUMPUR, Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak was among those who paid their last respects to Khir at the National Mosque. "I'm very sad... more so because he was one of the first federal cabinet members. I consider him among the country's foremost historical figures and on behalf of the government, I offer condolences to all his family members," said Najib.

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Umno Veteran Khir Johari Dies Of Heart Attack ; KUALA LUMPUR, Nov 19 (Bernama) -- Umno veteran Tan Sri Mohamed Khir Johari died Sunday, believed to be of a heart attack, in his house at Suasana Central Condominium at Jalan Tun Sambanthan in Brickfields. He was 83. Khir Johari held several key positions in Umno including as secretary-general. He was among the longest-serving cabinet minister since 1950s till his retirement in 1983.

His son, Zairil, 23, told Bernama his father appeared healthy when having breakfast with the family this morning. However, he suddenly had breathing difficulties and fell off from his chair while watching television at about 10.30am. He said his family called for an ambulance and the medical personnel, who arrived 10 minutes later, confirmed his father had died.

At the Heroes' Mausoleum, where the burial was carried out in the evening

Chief Secretary to the Government Tan Sri Mohamad Sidek Hassan said in a statement that the government had agreed for the late Khir Johari to be given a state funeral in appreciation of his contributions to the country.

Taking a last look

Zairil said funeral rites would be performed at the National Mosque before his burial at the Heroes' Mausoleum at 6pm. Khir Johari suffered a stroke in March 1981. Khir Johari, fondly called "Pak Khir", is survived by nine children, five of whom are girls. His first wife Puan Sri Kelsom @ Che Tom Abdul Rahman, whom he married in 1943, died on Sept 20, 1994 Sept 1994. He later married Puan Sri Christine Lim in February 1996. Khir Johari, who was born in Kampung Kancut, Alor Star, was a teacher at the Sultan Abdul Hamid College in 1945 before entering politics. He served as Education Minister, Trade and Industry Minister and Agriculture Minister. He was also appointed Malaysia's ambassador to the United Nations in New York, to Mexico and Brazil. Khir Johari was also active in sports. He held important positions in sports bodies including as Badminton Association of Malaysia president, Sepaktakraw Association of Malaysia president and Bodybuilding Association of Malaysia president. Among his sweetest and most memorable achievements is leading the national badminton squad to win the coveted Thomas Cup in Jakarta in 1967.

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Umno Loses Veteran Politician In Khir Johari; November 19, 2006 17:56 PM

KUALA LUMPUR, Nov 19 (Bernama) -- Tan Sri Mohamed Khir Johari, who died today, has a colourful political career, which can put to shame many current politicians in terms of experience and exposure. Fondly called as "Pak Khir", he was born on Jan 29, 1923, in Kampung Kancut, Alor Star, received his early education at Sekolah Rendah Jalan Bahru, Alor Star, and Sekolah Sungai Korok in Kedah. He pursued his studies at the Sultan Abdul Hamid College in Alor Star and obtained his Malaya Certificate of Education (MCE) in 1932. In 1966, he was conferred Doctor of Law by Universiti Malaya, Honorary Doctor of Education and Science by the De La Salle College in Manila, in 1967 and received Honorary Doctor of Letters from Universiti Pertanian Malaysia in 1987.
Khir Johari, who is fond of the saying "You are where you are because of the people who prayed for you", made his foray into politics in 1946 at the young age of 23 when he joined Saberkas, an active independence movement when the then Malaya was struggling for independence, as its secretary-general. Five years later, he made a decision that changed his life, when he embraced Umno.

He had a meteoric rise in Umno, becoming the party secretary-general in three years and served in the powerful position for a year. In the 1955 Legislative Council Elections, he won the Kedah Tengah seat on an Alliance ticket. In 1957, he became the Kuala Muda Umno division chairman and retained the Kuala Tengah seat in the country's first general election in 1959. He retained the seat in the 1964 general election and was reappointed Umno secretary-general for the second time two years later.
He defended the Kedah Tengah parliamentary seat, later known as Kuala Muda, for six terms until the fifth general election in 1978. He was drafted into the government as a member of administration in 1956 when he was named Assistant Minister of Economic Affairs. Since then, he served as a minister in four different portfolios. He was independent Malaya's first Education Minister, Commerce and Industry Minister (1960), Agriculture and Cooperative Minister (1962), again Education Minister (1965), reappointed Commerce and Industry Minister (1969) and Trade and Industry Minister (1972).

At an award presentation ceremony by Prime Minister Datuk Seri AbdullahHe was appointed Minister Without Portfolio in 1973 when he was sent as the Malaysian Ambassador to the United Nations in New York and as ambassador to Mexico and Brazil. Khir Johari stood out as a man who declined titles and honours in line with his principle not to accept any titles while in politics, rejected offers of Datukship before accepting the "PNM Award" from the Yang di-Pertuan Agong in June 1986, which carries the "Tan Sri" title. He also politely turned down an offer for a title from the Bruneian government because the award carried a life pension. Besides his hectic political life, Khir Johari was also actively involved in sports and environmental organisations. His vast experience and contributions to the nation would be sorely missed not only by Umno but all Malaysians, especially those who knew Pak Khir on a "first-hand basis".